Testimonials

The 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society

Sakae Tanaka, M.D., Ph.D.
Congress President of the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, TOKYO MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

In hosting the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society, we were faced with extreme heat, and on the evening of the first day, July 10, even a severe thunderstorm. Despite these challenges, we were able to successfully conclude the meeting with the participation of as many as 6,869 attendees. Thanks to the dedication of everyone involved, I feel that we were able to contribute, even in a small way, to the advancement of breast cancer care in Japan. Through my daily clinical practice and research, I have increasingly felt the need for caution when applying evidence generated overseas directly to our own patients. With this in mind, we chose the theme of this year’s meeting: “Differences between Asia and the West: Bridging across the Pacific.”
When I was appointed President of the 33rd Annual Meeting in 2022, it was decided the following year that the operations would be handled by the team at Congrès Inc. Since the kickoff meeting on July 26, 2023, I have spent nearly two years working closely with Mr. Motoshima, Ms. Sato, and Ms. Kodama, sharing our vision for the meeting as we moved forward together. The successful completion of the meeting and the high praise we received from many directions brought me a great sense of accomplishment, and I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone at Congrès who supported us until the very end.
To deepen discussions on the meeting theme, we conducted surveys both in Japan and abroad, and based on the findings, introduced simultaneous interpretation throughout the three-day program. We also organized a new style of symposium that welcomed overseas experts—particularly colleagues from the breast cancer societies of Taiwan and Korea, with whom we have signed MOUs. Furthermore, the reception held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatory, inviting our international guests and the many doctors who supported the meeting, became a truly special event. Another memorable moment was when our department members came together to host our international guests at an izakaya in Kabukicho, located in Shinjuku, to give them an experience of a night in the city. I am sure we made many difficult requests of the Congrès team throughout the planning process. We held weekly online meetings with the core members, and during the monthly preparation committee meetings, we continued our discussions even over meals afterward. I am deeply grateful for their sincere efforts that went far beyond the scope of their duties.
As I reflect on this experience—including the very nature of what an academic meeting should be—the greatest reward of all has been the profound sense of fulfillment that came from seeing our department members and the Congrès team unite as one to bring the meeting to fruition. Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed to the preparation and operation of this Annual Meeting. Thank you very much.

The 59th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Pain Clinicians

Yoichiro Abe, M.D.
Congress President of the 59th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Pain Clinicians
Director, Department of Pain Clinic, NTT Medical Center Tokyo

This conference marked my first experience with an academic meeting of approximately 2,000 participants, and it was also an unfamiliar undertaking for someone working at a general hospital. Although the preparation period spanned three years, Congrès Inc. held the operations meetings at appropriate intervals right up to the end, which I believe greatly eased my concerns through the conclusion of the event. I cannot express my gratitude enough. The conference was handled by three people—Mr. Motoshima, Mr. Takahashi, and Mr. Hirata—and their information sharing was excellent. Every request was addressed appropriately, and any oversights were promptly pointed out. That the event could be managed so smoothly, despite it being the very first academic conference held at the TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center, is truly a testament to their professionalism.
Looking ahead, academic conferences will increasingly combine on-site meetings with on-demand streaming, live-streamed symposia connecting remote locations, AI-based translation, and more. As a result, potential issues are expected to become more complex than before. I strongly felt that Congrès Inc. is well equipped to respond quickly to such evolving circumstances. Entrusting the operation to them was absolutely the right decision. Once again, I would like to express my sincere thanks and deepest appreciation to everyone involved.

The 98th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA2025)

Norimasa Iwasaki, M.D., Ph.D.
Congress President of the 98th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association
Professor and Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University

For this Annual Meeting, we aimed to embody the theme “Lofty Ambition” by organizing numerous lectures delivered by distinguished professors who truly personify and put this theme into practice. In addition, through the special exhibition and other initiatives, we incorporated ideas and touches that would allow participants to experience the unique character of Hokkaido University throughout the venue.
Over the three years of preparation and during the meeting itself, Congrès Inc. demonstrated a deep understanding of our vision and the overall concept of this Annual Meeting, responding to our needs with sincerity and dedication. Thanks to their support, we were able to realize the type of meeting that we, as the host institution, had aspired to create. For this, we are sincerely grateful.
In particular, we would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to those who participated in the regular on-site and online meetings with us at Hokkaido University: Mr. Mikawa (General Coordinator), Mr. Nagura (Main Director), Ms. Akiyama (Programs), Ms. Yamashita (International Relations, Hospitality, and Registration), Ms. Koba (Operations, Exhibition, Sports Events, Reception, and Video Production), Mr. Yagi (Special Exhibits of Hokkaido University), and Mr. Nakajima, Mr. Nagai, and Mr. Asaki (Co-sponsored Seminars, Related Meetings, and Childcare Center). Each of them exceeded our expectations through their tireless efforts.
Finally, on behalf of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone at Congrès Inc. for their outstanding contributions to the success of this Annual Meeting.

The 112th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Urological Association (JUA2025)

Masatoshi Eto, M.D., Ph.D.
Congress President of the 112th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Urological Association
Professor, Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University

The year 2025, in which we had the privilege of hosting the Annual Meeting, marked the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Department of Urology at Kyushu University School of Medicine. With this milestone in mind, we chose the theme “Aiming toward the next 100 years of urology.” Working together with members of our department, professors from the regional committees of the Japanese Urological Association, the society’s secretariat, and the team at Congrès Inc., we prepared diligently for the meeting. Thanks to these collective efforts, we welcomed participants from across the country, and fruitful discussions took place in every session room. As Congress President, I am deeply satisfied with the results.
As the meeting was held in Fukuoka for the first time in many years, we placed particular emphasis on extending warm hospitality to attendees traveling from all over Japan. With valuable support from Congrès Inc., we were able to showcase the character of both Fukuoka and our hosting institution through initiatives such as the networking reception, a gourmet corner, the congress bags, and a special exhibition commemorating our 100th anniversary.

Preparations for this meeting began with a kickoff in July 2023. During this period, our department was also engaged in organizing the 100th Anniversary Ceremony of our founding as well as the 10th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Urological Oncology. Over nearly two years of parallel activities, the team at Congrès Inc. worked closely alongside us, providing support in many different ways. I would like to once again extend my sincere gratitude for their unwavering commitment and assistance.

The 129th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Ophthalmological Society (JOS2025)

Takeo Fukuchi M.D., Ph.D.
President of the 129th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Ophthalmological Society (JOS2025)
Professor, Division of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University

Every year, two major comprehensive conferences are held in the field of ophthalmology: the Japanese Ophthalmological Society (JOS) Annual Meeting in the spring, and the Japanese Society of Clinical Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in the fall. Since these meetings started to be held in the hybrid format, combining on-site and online participation, the number of registered participants has exceeded 10,000, making them truly large-scale academic events.
This year, together with Congrès Inc., we were in charge of organizing JOS2025. We had previously worked with Congrès Inc. when we hosted a specialized ophthalmology meeting in Niigata, where they served as the secretariat. Furthermore, having managed the JOS Annual Meeting last year and the year before, from the moment it was decided three years ago that we would host this meeting, we had hoped to work with them again.
Indeed, with over 10,000 participants, the scale of the program and budget was extraordinary. It was undoubtedly thanks to the strong support from everyone involved in the operation that we were able to successfully conclude the event.
What made working with Congrès Inc. so comfortable was that their instructions and questions were always appropriate and precise, as well as their responses to our requests were swift. For JOS2025, one of our key policies was to incorporate as many ideas from various stakeholders as possible and to try new things. Drawing on their extensive experience organizing a wide range of events and academic conferences, Congrès Inc. offered many valuable suggestions, for which we are truly grateful.
Moreover, the on-site operations on the day of the event was flawless, which again impressed me greatly. Thanks to this, we were able to focus entirely on the academic aspects of the meeting, allowing us to learn and enjoy the event alongside all the participants.
I also heard that for some of the young new employees, this was their first experience working on-site at a medical conference. Nevertheless, each of them contributed to the conference operations with professionalism and care.
Having participated in numerous medical conferences over the years, I am convinced that science and scholarship advance through these kinds of gatherings. Congrès Inc. plays a vital role in supporting this process, and it is fair to say they fulfill an important function in society.
Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in this academic meeting and to all those who supported us, including the venue staff.

The 89th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society (JCS2025)

Toyoaki Murohara, M.D., Ph.D., FJCS.
Congress Chairperson of the 89th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society (JCS2025)
Professor and Chairperson, Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya

In line with the main theme of JCS2025, “We Love Cardiovascular (CV) Science”, I personally came up with the initial concept for the conference logo, which was then beautifully finalized by the team at Congrès Inc.
For the special lecture — one of the highlights of the conference — we focused on “disasters,” particularly earthquake and tsunami disasters as a subtheme. We invited Professor Nobuo Fukuwa (Nagoya University), a leading authority in earthquake engineering and disaster prevention who frequently appears in the media, to deliver a lecture and conduct an evacuation drill simulation. The drill was broadcast simultaneously on screens across all venues. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first time a disaster drill was held during a large-scale medical conference, including the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society.

Although Nagoya University, as the hosting institution, organized this year’s conference in Yokohama, which presented numerous challenges, the dedicated support from everyone at Congrès Inc. made it possible to overcome these difficulties and successfully hold the event. From early on, we envisioned running the conference with consideration for SDGs: minimizing food waste from luncheon seminar boxed meals, issuing participant badges without using plastic name card holders, and arranging the program schedule and venue layout so that attendees would have time and space to visit both the exhibition booths and poster sessions. Thanks to Congrès Inc.’s flexibly in responding to various detailed requests up to the event, I am proud to say we were able to hold an outstanding conference. Welcoming over 20,000 registered participants and more than 14,000 attendees onsite was truly a humbling and gratifying achievement.
Additionally, the public lecture for citizens held one week before the conference was also a great success, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone at Congrès Inc. who supported us.
In closing, I wish you all continued growth and success. Thank you very much for everything.

The 37th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology

Hiroshi Onishi, M.D., Ph.D.
President
The 37th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology
Professor, Yamanashi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology

The vision we set for this academic congress was clear: to create “a bold and innovative conference that broke conventional norms—one to be remembered and recorded as truly legendary.” To achieve this, we introduced a range of novel initiatives, including debate sessions with live audience voting, daily recognition of the most active questioners, real-time evaluations and awards for on-the-spot presentations, a digital stamp rally in the exhibition area, and even the installation of trick art photo zones.
Some of these ideas were first-time challenges even for a major professional operator like Congrès Inc., and I am aware that many aspects required extraordinary effort and coordination. Despite this, the meeting welcomed a record number of participants, and afterward, we received an outpouring of positive feedback from both attendees and industry partners—many saying things like, “It was an incredibly unique and excellent conference unlike any we’ve experienced before.”
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Ms. Fujisawa, Mr. Shibuya, Ms. Takeuchi, and Mr. Kato for their exceptional dedication. As the congress approached and new challenges surfaced daily, they responded to every request—no matter how demanding—without complaint and with unwavering commitment. Their presence throughout the event provided a strong sense of security and partnership.
I was especially moved by a heartfelt comment from Ms. Fujisawa immediately after the closing ceremony. She said, “It was tough, but this experience will be invaluable moving forward,” and her expression carried a satisfied smile that stayed with me.
The impression I hold of Congrès Inc. is one of integrity, wholeheartedness, and reassurance. Their contribution went far beyond a typical contractual relationship between organizer and operations team. I am deeply grateful for their partnership. Thank you all, sincerely.